Cartoon Villain Steve Bannon Says the Media Should “Keep Its Mouth Shut” About President Trump

Steve Bannon, chief strategist for President Donald Trump, arrives to a swearing-in ceremony of White House senior staff in the East Room of the White House on Sunday.

Andrew Harrer-Pool/Getty Images

In an interview with the New York Times on Wednesday night, White House chief strategist Stephen Bannon derided the mainstream press for its criticisms of the new administration. From the Times:

“The media should be embarrassed and humiliated and keep its mouth shut and just listen for awhile,” Mr. Bannon said during a telephone call.

“I want you to quote this,” Mr. Bannon added. “The media here is the opposition party. They don’t understand this country. They still do not understand why Donald Trump is the president of the United States.”

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The Times' Maggie Haberman went on to write that Bannon was one of the advisers behind White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer’s combative press conference over coverage of attendance at Trump’s inauguration. “Asked if he was concerned that Mr. Spicer had lost credibility with the news media, Mr. Bannon chortled,” Haberman wrote. “ ‘Are you kidding me?’ he said. ‘We think that’s a badge of honor. ‘Questioning his integrity’—are you kidding me? The media has zero integrity, zero intelligence, and no hard work.’

“You’re the opposition party,” Bannon continued. “Not the Democratic Party. You’re the opposition party.” Well, he’s right about that one.